Vitamin B4 CFR Los Angeles surged in March as import-cost inflation and tighter spot availability narrowed coverage for buyers. Early freight pressures remained elevated and intensified mid-month, prompting exporters to prioritize term contracts and reduce merchant-market parcels. Demand from nutraceutical and biopharmaceutical sectors strengthened in early and mid-month, while feed users kept steady inclusion rates, leaving little room for inventory rebuilding. Port handling times above long-run averages compounded market tightness, converting higher offers into executed trades and underpinning the month-on-month surge. End-use demand remained a key driver: nutraceutical blenders continued to feature choline chloride in cognitive-health launches, and cell-culture media producers secured extra volumes to safeguard critical supply chains, further tightening merchant availability. Poultry-feed buyers stayed resilient, helping drain spot slack. Supply-side dynamics showed routine runs by contract manufacturers in China and India, but March output was allocated to term commitments, shrinking spot availability. The outlook signals further gain before seasonal normalization, with forecasts highlighting demand resilience.
